Duke's Conner Vernon becomes the ACC's all-time leading receiver with his 233rd career catch against Virginia on Saturday

1. King Conner: Conner Vernon became the ACC’s career receiving leader when he caught a swing pass from Anthony Boone for a 2-yard loss on Duke’s second possession against Virginia. If the record-breaking catch No. 233 wasn’t impressive, the rest of Vernon’s performance was. He caught seven balls for 93 yards and two TDs to help the Blue Devils improve to 5-1 for the first time since 1994.

2. Pack ‘All in’: Senior S Earl Wolff called a players-only meeting after last week’s meltdown in Miami and challenged his teammates to be “all in with him.’ The Wolfpack responded with an inspired effort in all three phases of the game by holding Florida State to 343 yards, 200 below its ACC-leading average, and riding the passing of Mike Glennon to come-from-behind 17-16 win that may have saved its season.

3. Fedora Ball: North Carolina’s new spread offense has rolled up big numbers before this season, but not against the likes of Virginia Tech. Showing its high-scoring efforts against Elon and Idaho were no fluke, coach Larry Fedora’s fast-paced Tar Heels left the Hokies gasping for air as they rolled up 533 yards, including 339 on the ground, in an impressive 48-34 rout.

Tajh Boyd congratulates Clemson teammate DeAndre Hopkins

4. Tajh Mahal: Clemson QB Tajh Boyd threw for a career-high 397 yards and two TDs in Saturday’s win against Georgia Tech. His 58-yard scoring strike to DeAndre Hopkins in the second quarter was his 50th, breaking Charlie Whitehurst’s school record for career touchdown passes.

5. Rose with thorns: Even the most passionate N.C. State fan probably didn’t know who Mike Rose was before Saturday. But with 2:27 left, the redshirt freshman DE – playing on special teams only because of an injury to FB Logan Winkles earlier in the game – made the most of his opportunity by blocking a Florida State punt to set up the Wolfpack’s winning TD.

5 NEGATIVES

E.J. Manuel was sacked four times by N.C. State

1. Same old ‘Noles: The question has been answered. Florida State is not yet ‘back.’ The Seminoles fell into an old trap of letting down on the road and not putting away an opponent when they had it down. Coach Jimbo Fisher also contributed by punting instead attempting a 51-yard FG that could have put the game away. The result was FSU’s fifth loss in its last eight trips to N.C. State and the end of any national championship hopes the ACC might have had.

2. De-feathered Hokies: Virginia Tech didn’t just lose at UNC, it got manhandled in a way never before experienced in 26 seasons under coach Frank Beamer. The Tar Heels’ 48 points were the most surrendered by the Hokies since joining the ACC in 2004 and the 339 rushing yards they allowed were the most ever allowed by a Beamer-coached team.

3. ‘Rank’ amateurs: Miami might be 3-0 in the ACC, but against outside competition among the nation’s top 25 the Hurricanes have been downgraded to a tropical depression. Or maybe just plain old depression. Between Saturday’s 41-3 pounding by No. 9 Notre Dame and a 52-13 loss at No. 21 Kansas State on Sept. 8, Miami has been outscored 93-16 by ranked teams this year.

Times are tough at BC for Frank Spaziani

4. ‘Spaz’ out?: Barring another late-season miracle, it appears as though Frank Spaziani’s days as Boston College coach may be numbered. The Eagles dropped to 1-4 with a last-minute 34-31 loss to lowly Army. What makes the loss all the more damaging to Spaziani, a former defensive coordinator, is that his team was burned for 516 rushing yards by the Cadets’ option attack.

4. Weakened Wake: Wake Forest was undoubtedly weakened by the suspensions of six key players – including defensive starters Merrill “Bud” Noel, Daniel Mack and Mike Olsen – especially late in the game when Maryland scored its game-winning TD. But the most damaging absence was that of injured WR Michael Campanaro. Without him, the Deacons could manage only 241 total yards in a 19-14 loss.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEEK

While the folks in Greensboro are probably hiding all the sharp objects from John Swofford because of Florida State’s expected fall in the rankings, there’s rare celebration in the Triangle. An already big day got even more memorable when UNC, Duke and N.C. State all scored victories 30 miles apart from one another within a 12-hour stretch. It marked the first time that the Tar Heels, Blue Devils and Wolfpack all won home games against ACC opponents on the same day since UNC beat Virginia, Duke beat Clemson and State beat Wake Forest on Oct. 15, 1994.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Bernard

Sophomore RB Giovani Bernard had been limited to 213 yards on 29 carries in UNC’s first five games because of injury and blowouts. Saturday, the first-team All-ACC performer topped his season rushing total in one day by erupting for a career-high 262 yards on 23 carries in the Tar Heels’ 48-34 win against Virginia Tech. Bernard also caught three passes and returned three punts while amassing 291 all-purpose yards.

STAT OF THE WEEK

BC’s Andre Williams tied an NCAA record by breaking off a 99-yard run during the second quarter of Saturday’s loss to Army. Not only was the longest run from scrimmage in school history, but it was also 14½ yards more than the Eagles had been averaging per game this season. BC came in ranked 116th out of 120 FBS full members.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“He broke the record on not-so-flashy of a play. But 42-17 took care of that. I told him that’s pretty flashy, to win it in that fashion.” Duke coach David Cutcliffe on the record-setting effort of WR Conner Vernon.

LOOKING AHEAD

Believe it or not, but the biggest game in the ACC next week involves Duke traveling to Blacksburg for a shot at bowl eligibility and the Coastal Division lead against preseason favorite Virginia Tech. UNC takes its high-flying offense to Miami for what figures to be a shootout while N.C. State gets a well-deserved bye week to recover from Saturday’s upset of FSU.